Frameless range construction



p 1955 G. c. PEARCE 2,705,947

FRAMELESS RANGE CONSTRUCTION Filed May 19, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet l April 12, 1955 e. c. PEARCE 2,705,947

FRAMELESS RANGE CONSTRUCTION Filed May 19, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 12, 1955 Filed May 19, 1950 G. C. PEARCE FRAMELESS RANGE CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 12, 1955 G. C. PEARCE FRAMELESS RANGE CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 19, 1950 April 12, 1955 c, PEARCE 2,705,947

FRAMELESS RANGE CONSTRUCTION Filed May 19, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I3 L7 J 33a, ,8 1 q:\ "I I,

United States Patent FRAMELESS RANGE CONSTRUCTION George C. Pearce, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application May 19, 1950, Serial No. 163,047

Claims. (Cl. 126-1) This invention relates to domestic appliances and more particularly to ranges.

An object of this invention is to provide a range having a minimum of component parts, in which the usual frame is eliminated, and in which strength and rigidity are obtained by the manner in which the relatively few parts are secured together.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an exploded view showing the major parts of the range;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken along the line 2--2 of Fig. 3, with the door and lower front panel omitted;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially along line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken along the line 4--4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken along the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken along the line 66 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken along the line 77 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged section looking upwardly along the line 88 of Figs. 2 and 10, with the lower front panel added;

Fig. 9 is a cross-section taken along the line 9--9 of I Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a cross-section taken along the line 1010 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged horizontal section taken along the line 11-11 of Fig. 2 with the lower front panel added;

Fig. 12 is a vertical section taken along the line 1212 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a vertical section parallel to Fig. 9 taken in a winding plane farther away from the observer of Fig. 9 and which plane substantially follows the face of the front panel bracket 44, 45;

Figs. 14 and 15 are elevations at right angles to each other of the combined door spring bracket and oven linerside panel attaching bracket;

Fig. 16 is an elevation of the door hinge pin and support; and

Fig. 17 is a top plan view of Fig. 16.

Heretofore ranges have been constructed either with a unitary wraparound outer shell within which the oven liner was inserted; or with a frame on which outer panels were secured, and within which the oven liner was inserted. The unitary outer shell was objectionable because damage to one portion requires the substitution of an entire shell, with a substantial reoperation of the entire range. The frame type range was objectionable be cause of the relatively large number of parts, and because of the weight of the frame. According to this invention, the oven liner is used as a nucleus, to which the outer panels may be attached, in a manner to eliminate the previous frame, and to avoid the necessity of a wraparound shell in making a light strong range.

Referring to the drawings, and first particularly to Fig. l, a range made according to this invention may comprise a box-like member or liner 10 forming top, bottom, back and side walls of an oven having a substantially rectangular open front 11, with a surrounding outward face 12 having a pair 13, 14 of vertical backwardly directed flanges, and another pair 15, 16 of horizontal backwardly directed flanges.

Range side panel 17 has a front inward vertical face 18, with a backwardly directed flange 19. Range side panel 20 has a front inward vertical face 21, with a backwardly directed flange 22.

Means are provided for securing the range side panels 17 and 20 with their backwardly directed flanges 19 and 22 abutting, respectively, the vertical backwardly directed flanges 13 and 14. Such means may take the form of brackets 23 and 24 (Fig. 2) at the bottom corners of the oven liner, and brackets 25 and 26 at the upper corners of the oven liner. These brackets will be described more fully hereafter.

The range side panels 17 and 20 extend below the oven liner and support the range on the kitchen floor or the like.

A combined range top supporter and switch back plate 27 is secured to the upper horizontal backwardly directed flange 16 of the oven liner 10. This range top supporter is L-shaped in transverse vertical cross-section. The range top rests on the top edge of the vertical portion of the L. The horizontal portion of the L is secured to the backwardly directed flange 16 of the oven liner.

The brackets 25 and 26 are L-shaped with the horizontal legs 25a and 26a interposed between the supporter 27 and the backwardly directed flange 16. The vertical legs 25b and 26b, of the brackets 25 and 26, are secured respectively to the rearwardly directed flanges 19 and 22 of the side panels 17 and 20. Bolts 27a may be used to secure the foregoing members together.

A range top 28 rests on the range top supporter 27 and is secured to the flanges 13 and 21 of the side panels 17 and 20 and also to a back panel 29, hereafter to be more fully described. The range top 28 is provided with a front apron 30 which has a backwardly directed flange 31 provided with rearwardly projecting cars 32 fitting into slotted openings 33 in the flanges 18 and 21, of the side panels.

This construction allows the range top 28 to be pushed backwardly, to force the ears 32 into the slots 33, thus securing the range top at the front portion of the range. The range top 28 is also provided with switch shaft openings 34 through which switch shafts may pass. The switches, not shown, may be mounted on the vertical portion of the range top supporter 27, and wiring from the switches may be connected to power supply lines, not shown, and to top cooking units, not shown, resting in openings 35. The range top 28 is also provided with a back splasher plate 36, on which any further controls, convenience outlets, etc., not shown, may be mounted.

Door hinges 37 and 37a are secured at the lower front corners of the oven liner. Preferably they are secured adjacent the bracket structures 23 and 24, respectively, and details thereof are more fully shown in Figs. 8, 9, 10, 14, l5, l6 and 17. The door hinge 37, for example, has a hinge pin 38 integral therewith and is supported by a bent plate 39, welded thereto. The plate 39 is secured by a bolt 40 underneath the bottom flange 15 of the oven liner 10. The bolt 40 passes through an opening in the flange 15 and is threaded into the horizontal flange portion 41 of the bracket 23. The bracket 23 also has a forwardly directed vertical flange 42 which is placed behind the vertical flange 19 of the side panel 17. A front panel jarnb 44 (of Z-shape cross-section) is also secured by the bolt 43 and screw 33a with one portion flat against the flange 19. The parallel face 45 of the panel jamb extends forwardly. Bolts 47 pass through the horizontal flange 15 of the oven liner and are threaded into the horizontal portion 41 of the bracket 23. Thus the bolts 49, 43 and 47 rigidly secure together the oven liner 10, the side panel 17, and the hinge plate 39. The hinge 37a and bracket 24 are similarly joined together by a similar, but symmetrically disposed construction, as is obvious.

The bracket 23 also is provided with a spring supporting ear 48 having an opening 49 for the reception of one end of a spring 50, which is utilized in a structure which keeps the door firmly closed or slightly ajar, in a manner more fully hereafter described.

The range door 51 includes a front panel 52 and a back panel 53 having oppositely directed flanges which telescope in the manner shown in Fig. 3. The panel 52 has a hinge bar or tube 54 secured thereto, and the ends of the bar 54 have openings therein, which are adapted to receive the pins 38. The pins 38 may be inserted into the bar 54 before the bolts 40 have been secured in position.

Counterbalancing arms 55 are secured to the door, preferably to a flange of the inner panel 53. The arms 55 are provided with a lug 56 over which pulley 57 rides. The pulley 57 is secured to the upper end of the spring 50, and is of such a character that it holds the door 51 fully closed in one position, and slightly ajar when it rests against the portion 58 of the arm 55, for broiling purposes. The lower end of the arm 55 is provided with an opening 59 by means of which the upper end of the door counterbalancing spring 60 is secured. The lower ends of the two counterbalancing springs are secured respectively to lower flanges 61 of the side panels 17 and 20.

The back panel 29 is provided with an inward bulge 60a. A tubular oven liner support 61a is secured to the lower wall 62a of the bulge 60a. The support 61:: passes through and supports a bracket 62 welded to the rear wall 63 of the oven liner. Thus the inner end of the oven liner is firmly supported on the back panel 29. The opening in bracket 62 is slidable along the tubular support 61a. This allows thermal expansion of the oven liner while preserving a rigid connection between the liner and panels.

The back panel 29 is provided with an outwardly directed face 64 and a forwardly directed outer flange 65. The side panels 17 and 20 are each provided with a rear flange 66 and a top flange 67. The outwardly directed face 64 of the back panel is secured to the rear flanges 66 of the side panels 17 and 20, by means of bolts 68.

A bracket 69 is welded to the rear of the top panel 28. This bracket is supported on the forwardly directed flange 65 of the rear panel 29, by means of bolts 70 and interposed fibrous or rubber washers 71.

A front lower panel is provided with inward flanges 7376. The flange 73 is provided with notches 77 to pass under the hinge supporting plates 39. The lower flange 75 is provided with openings 78 which receive the pins 79 which are secured to the bottoms of the panel jambs 44, 45. Springs 80 are interposed either by securing them to the flange 75 or to the iamb portions 45. The upper ends of the jamb portions 45 are provided with ears 81 fitted in o openings 82 provided in flanges 73 of the front panel 72. The front panel is secured in place by threading the openin s 78 on pins 79 and thereafter pulling up on the panel 72 and threading the openings 82 on the ears 81. The flanges 76 pass over the jamb portions 45.

If desired, reinforcing gussets 83 may be secured to the lower portion of face 64 of the back panel 29 and to the rear flanges 66 of the side panels 17 and 20, to render thedlower portions of the side panels 17 and 20 more rig] The front flanges 18 and 21 of the side panels 17 and 20 are provided with openings 84 through which the counterbalancing arms 55 pass.

While the form of embodiment. of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, as may come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A frameless range construction having an oven forming member providing a nucleus for the mounting thereto of a plurality of prefabricated component range parts comprising, a back panel. a top, a combined range top su porter and switch back plate, two separate elements adapted to form outer side panels for said range, each side panel having a flange extending along the bottom, top and sides thereof, said oven forming member including a box forming an oven liner having an open front and provided with a vertical flanged portion at opposite sides of its open front. means attaching said side panels to said liner in spaced relation to opposite side walls thereof, said attaching means clamping the flange along one side of each side panel in abutting relation respectively with said opposed flanged portions on said liner, said side panels extending below said liner to su port said range, said back panel being secured to the flange along the side of each side panel opposed to said one side thereof, means for securing said combined range top supporter and switch back plate to a front portion of said liner, and said top resting upon said combined range top supporter and switch back plate and being secured to said back panel.

2. A frameless range construction including a box forming an oven liner providing a nucleus for the mounting thereto of a plurality of prefabricated component range parts; said liner having upright side walls and provided with a front opening, said liner having an integral portion flared outwardly from at least the two upright side walls thereof to provide front faces, said front faces each being provided with a vertically extending backwardly directed integral flange, said backwardly directed flanges each being spaced from their adjacent liner upright side wall, two separate outer range side panels each having a front face provided with a vertically extending backwardly directed integral flange spaced from said side panel, means extending through said flanges and locking said backwardly directed flanges on said side panels respectively into abutting relation with said backwardly directed flanges on said oven liner to provide a rigid structure at the front vertical corners of said range, and said side panels depending below said oven liner to form a range having an oven therein.

3. A frameless range construction including a box forming an oven liner providing a nucleus for the mounting thereto of a plurality of prefabricated component range parts; said liner having upright side walls and provided with a front opening, said liner having an integral portion flared outwardly from at least the two upright side walls thereof to provide front faces, said front faces each being provided with a vertically extending backwardly directed integral flange, said backwardly directed flanges each being spaced from their adjacent liner upright side wall, two separate outer range side panels each having a front face provided with a vertically extending backwardly directed integral flange spaced from said side panel, means extending through said flanges and locking said backwardly directed flanges on said side panels re spectively into abutting relation with said backwardly directed flanges on said oven liner to provide a rigid structure at the front vertical corners of said range, said side panels depending below said oven liner to form a range having an oven therein, each of said outer side panels having a rear inwardly directed vertical flange, a back panel secured to said rear vertical flange, and a top panel supported on said side panels above said oven liner.

4. A frameless range construction including a box forming an oven liner providing a nucleus for the mounting thereto of a plurality of prefabricated component range parts; said liner having upright side walls and provided with a front opening, said liner having an integral portion flared outwardly from at least the two upright side walls thereof to provide front faces, said front faces each being provided with a vertically extending backwardly directed integral flange, said backwardly directed flanges each being spaced from their adjacent liner upright side wall, two separate outer range side panels each having a front face provided with a vertically extending backwardly directed integral flange spaced from said side panel, means extending through said flanges and locking said backwardly directed flanges on said side panels respectively into abutting relation with said backwardly directed flanges on said oven liner to provide a rigid structure at the front vertical corners of said range, and said side panels depending below said oven liner to form a range having an oven therein, each of said outer side panels having a rear inwardly directed vertical flange, a back panel secured to said rear vertical flange, a top panel supported on said side panels above said oven liner, a bracket secured to and extending inwardly from said back panel and supporting the rear portion of said oven liner, said bracket having a sliding connection with said lner.

5. A frameless range construction including a box forming an oven liner providing a nucleus for the mounting thereto of a plurality of prefabricated component ran e parts; said liner having upright side walls and provided witha front opening, said liner having an integral portion flared outwardly from at least the two upright side walls thereof to provide front faces, said front faces each being provided with a vertically extending backwardly directed integral flange, said backwardly directed flanges each being spaced from their adjacent liner upright side wall, two separate outer range side panels each having a front face provided with a vertically extending backwardly directed integral flange spaced from said side panel, means extending through said flanges and locking said backwardly directed 'flanges on said side panels respectively into abutting relation with said backwardly directed flanges on said oven liner to provide a rigid structure at the front vertical corners of said range, and said side panels depending below said oven liner to form a range having an oven therein, a top panel secured to said side panels and having a downwardly directed flange at the front of said range, a door for said oven having its upper edge arranged to move into juxtaposition to the lower edge of said downturned flange, a front bottom panel for said range, said door and said bottom panel being arranged flush with the outer edges of said side panels so as to conceal the line of juncture between the flanges on said side panels and said oven liner.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Chadwick Ian. 19, Dorl Apr. 27, Kessler Oct. 26, Rutenber Aug. 26, Lockwood Aug. 4, Lockwood May 8, McCormick June 19, Hobson Dec. 4, Barnsteiner Jan. 29, Avery Apr. 1, Clark June 5, Pearce Oct. 2, 

